One of the oldest and most beloved family restaurants in the country, Juilleret’s was founded as an ice cream parlor in 1895 by Joseph and Martha Juilleret. The menu was legendary, and the jukebox played classic favorites like “Sleepy Time Gal” which was written there during the restaurant’s materialization as a cabaret in the 1920s. After 112 years as a family run restaurant, it closed in 2007. 

 In 2013 I received a call from a client whose home I had designed an addition for in Harbor Springs, asking if I was interested in working with them on another project. They had just bought the old Juilleret’s building at 130 State Street. I was thrilled. The goal was to restore the original building and design an addition for expanded kitchen space, new restrooms, and an outdoor patio. They also wanted to plan for a second story in the future which is shown in a few of the renderings. This has remained as a proposal for a residential loft and is currently unbuilt. Unfortunately, most of the original framing no longer met building codes so it had to come down. The building was built in two halves, the first between 1890 and 1900 and the second between 1910 and 1920. The foundations were still solid, and both still remain supporting the new construction.

 Materials used and associated patterns were thoughtfully incorporated to capture the public’s collective memory without being kitsch or cliché. The brick on the new addition was placed in a common bond pattern with a Flemish header every sixth course, which was typical in that era. Both interior and exterior wood trim materials were kept simple and tile patterns considered classic.

The building now houses “Pierson’s Grill and Spirits”, a family-friendly restaurant paying homage to the local ski scene. The owner really liked the story and the history behind the building.

ARCHITECT: Karen Swanson AIA
CONTRACTOR: Evening Star Joinery
RENDERINGS: Brandon Hakeem
RENDERINGS: Ying Cai (proposed second story)